Meet the Author

Hi, I’m Ruchi, a licensed architect in California who loves to dig deep into the “why” behind a good design. I quickly loose interest in anything that makes things harder than they need to be; whether a book that is more interested in flaunting its vocabulary than telling a story or a recipe that asks me to marinate something for 24 hours (seriously, I can’t wait that long!).

When it comes to architecture, I believe that the best ideas are the simplest ones. It’s the quiet brilliance of a well-placed window or an honest energy calculation of a building aiming net zero, that excites me. Even behind every complex parametric facade, composed of unimaginable geometry and configuration, lies a simple algorithm overlaid with multiple operations. I love uncovering these concepts and reaffirm that simplicity and logic drives even the most intricate designs.

When I’m not thinking about architecture, you’ll likely find me in the kitchen experimenting with new recipes or strumming my guitar on my newly decorated balcony. I also love hosting get-togethers at home. It’s the perfect excuse to try out new dishes while enjoying the company of enthusiastic ‘tasters’. Thanks to my husband’s love for the outdoors, I’ve been spending more time in nature recently, visiting more national and state parks in the past year than I have altogether.

In a world full of architectural jargon and overcomplicated solutions, this blog aims to cut through the noise and bring clarity to the design process. Built Basics is my way of showing that architecture doesn’t have to be complicated… or boring.